Selfless love

Selfless love

Bible: Philippians 2:20-30

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[Epaphroditus] almost died for the work of Christ. He risked his life to make
up for the help you yourselves could not give me (V.30).

A nineteen year old soldier serving in a warzone saw a grenade being thrown from a rooftop. Manning the machine gun in the turret of his Humvee, he tried to push the explosive away—but it fell inside his vehicle. He had time to jump to safety. Instead, he threw his body over the grenade in a stunningly selfless act that saved the lives of four other soldiers. This almost unexplainable act of self-sacrifice may help us understand why the Bible tells us that there is a kind of love that is much greater than our knowledge or abilities (1 CORINTHIANS 13:1-3). This kind of love can be hard to find—leading Paul to say that more people care for themselves than for the interests of Jesus and His people (PHILIPPIANS 2:20-21). That’s why he was so grateful for Epaphroditus, a Christian friend who “came close to death, not regarding his life” in order to serve others (V.30). If we think we could never put our own life on the line for others, Epaphroditus shows us the first step with his selfless example. Such love is neither normal nor common, and it doesn’t come from us. It comes from the Spirit of God, who can give us the desire and ability to feel for others some of the inexpressible love God has for them.

YOU CAN MEASURE YOUR LOVE FOR GOD

BY HOW MUCH YOU LOVE HIS PEOPLE.

Youth Edition – Our Daily Bread Ministries